Chief of Naval staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, is in France on a 6 day official visit

Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the
Naval Staff is visiting France on a bilateral visit from November 05 to 10. The
visit aims to consolidate cooperation between the Armed Forces of both India
and France and also to explore new avenues of defence cooperation.

During his visit, the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the
Naval Staff will hold bilateral discussions with French Defense Minister Ms
Florence Parly, Chief of Defense Staff, General Francois Lecointre, Chief of
Navy, Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Director General Armament General Joel Barre, and Vice Admiral Hervede Bonnaventure,
Director General International Relations and Strategy.

In-addition to holding important bilateral discussions, the Admiral will be
visiting the Maritime Prefectures at Brest and Cherbourg, and be conducted
around the Maritime Operations Centre. He will also visit the French Airbase at
Landivisiau, where he will be briefed on the operational employability of the
Rafale aircraft by the French Air Force, and also visit the French Submarine
Facility at Cherbourg.

India and France have traditionally maintained close and friendly
relations. The two countries established a Strategic Partnership in 1998,
thereby significantly enhancing bilateral cooperation in strategic areas such
as defence, nuclear energy and space. The Defence relationship between the two
countries has been one of mutual trust and confidence. India has been importing
critical defence technologies from France; the latest being the Rafale fighter
aircraft for the Indian Air Forces and the Scorpene submarines for the Indian
Navy.

The Indian Navy cooperates with the French Navy on many issues, which
include operational interactions such as the VARUNA series of bilateral
exercises, training exchanges, exchange of White Shipping Information and
Subject Matter Experts in various fields through the medium of Staff Talks.
Warships from Indian Navy have been regularly visiting ports at France, with IN
ships Mumbai, Trishul and Aditya making port call at Toulon from 24 to 27
April. The French Navy ship Auvergne, a FREMM Class Frigate, also visited the
Indian Naval Base at Karwar from 02 to 06 October.